rocketeer
by dear daydreamer
Summary: They say give it your everything or nothing at all.


**title** rocketeer

**fandom** Kuroko no Basuke

**pairing(s)** Slight!AoKuro; KiseKuro

**summary** They say give it your everything or nothing at all.

**word count** n/a

**inspiration** Rocketeer by Far East Movement ; Kise's page on the Kuroko no Basuke wiki.

**notes** Possible OOCness. Focuses on Kise's side of things but is still in 3rd POV. Somewhat follow canon + extra scenes by me. Spoilers from 21O-213.

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The gym consisted of first stringers and regulars. A model-like grin was perched on his face as he told his upperclassmen about his adventures when changing schools and why he started playing basketball. Out of the corner of his eye, Kise spotted a short, choppily cut mop of dark blue hair and instantly knew who it was.

He turned, "Ah, here he is now!" He exclaimed. "I've wanted to meet you for a long time, Aominecchi!"

Aomine's face expressed his confusion. "-Cchi?! Uh, I mean, nice to meet you, Kise-kun. Ah!" Aomine said, spotting his shadow. "You should greet him too. From here on, he'll be showing you around."

Kise asked, "Who? Where..?"

"…huh? He's right next to you." Said Aomine, pointing out Kuroko.

Glancing to his left, he saw a short, light-skinned boy with powder blue hair and equally matching eyes. "Nice to meet you, I'm Kuroko Tetsuya." Said the pale teen.

Kise jumped two feet off the ground and screamed. "What the—who are you? When did you get here?!"

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya." Repeated Kuroko. "I've been here for a while now."

"Wait—what? Showing me around?" Babbled Kise.

'_H-him?'_ Thought Kise, _'He's like a ghost! No…more like he has no presence!'_

"Hey, watch what you say." Warned Aomine, "He's already a first stringer."

"What?!" Screamed Kise.

.

"Huh?! I have to escort the second-stringers to a game with this bean sprout?!" Asked Kise, pointing rather rudely to his "coach".

Midorima and Akashi proceeded to give him the "victory-is-everything" speech while Murasakibara petted Kuroko's head rather affectionately, teasing him lightly. Kise groaned internally for spurring Akashi and Midorima into their speeches that they just _loved_ giving. Midorima turned to one of their managers, Momoi.

"Momoi, you'll be accompanying the team to the game." Stated Midorima. It wasn't a question, it was a command.

Momoi said, "Hm? Ah, fine." She turned only to see that she barely a feet away from Kuroko.

"In that case, we'll be under your guidance, Momoi-san." Politely greeted Kuroko.

Momoi gasped but quickly composed herself. The rest was a blur to Kise. The travel time from their gym to the opponent's school was probably a forty-five minute drive. The match wasn't going the way they planned. They were barely keeping up with the school until Kuroko stood up and pulled on his sweatband a few times before looking at Kise straight in the eye.

"Everyone, please pass to me." Kuroko politely asked the team. Everyone else shrugged while Kise eyed Kuroko before nodding.

Sweat dribbled down from his forehead as he ran into position. So far, thanks to passing to Kuroko, they had been keeping up better. Suddenly a bright orange streak was coming to him. He caught it easily and threw the ball into the basket. The referee blew his whistle, signaling the end of the game.

A wide grin was perched on his face as he turned to Kuroko. However, when he turned, Kuroko had disappeared.

.

"Aominecchi, Kurokocchi! Let's go to the store and get some ice cream afterschool." Exclaimed Kise.

Aomine sweat dropped. "What's with the sudden change? And so soon?"

"What're you talking about? I'm not the type to not show respect to those who deserve it!" Protested Kise.

Aomine shrugged. "Ah. Isn't it nice that he's finally noticed you?"

Kise proceeded to ask Murasakibara, Midorima, and Momoi to join them. Murasakibara had accepted when Kise had said it was his treat while Midorima had declined in favor of speaking to Akashi but not without scolding Kise for adding the "-cchi" suffix to his name. Momoi had joined when Aomine had asked her.

The group of four had babbled about random things, mostly topics that related to basketball and food. They had all parted ways eventually, Murasakibara being the first one to leave then Kise while the other three kept walking down the same road.

Walking home, Kise pondered on a few things about his instructor and how unique his ability once. It was something…different. In a way, just like the rest of the Generation of Miracles, he couldn't copy it. It was just at a level too high, or rather, it was a special ability that could only be used by Kuroko.

A genuine grin made it to his face as he glanced up at the sky. _'Wah~h. Basketball is so fun, I'm glad I joined it.'_

.

"Thank you very much!" The players yelled before the crowd dispersed.

The crowd shuffled to the locker rooms but two. Kuroko glanced at Kise who practically beamed at him before running across the gym to grab some stray balls. With two people, Kuroko and Kise had collected the balls and put away the equipment within twenty minutes and only had to turn off the lights and lock up.

On the way to the locker room, Kise rambled about random things that came to his mind to Kuroko who added his own opinion a few times in brief responses. Although the self-proclaimed shadow didn't talk much, it just felt so fun to talk to him, Kise thinks to himself. They reached the locker rooms and quickly changed before locking it up. Just when they finished locking up, they heard a voice.

"Yo, Tetsu!" Ah, it was Aomine.

Kise's face brightened up, "Aominecchi!"

"Ah, Kise." Aomine nodded in acknowledgement to the blond. "Tetsu, want to go get some ice cream? My treat."

Kuroko nodded and trotted over to his light. Looking over his shoulder, Kuroko silently asked if Kise would like to join. A smile stretched Kise's lips as he declined before pouting childishly.

"Waaah, I wanna go with Aominecchi and Kurokocchi too~o." Whined Kise, "I have a modeling gig today though."

Aomine shrugged before leaving with a slightly reluctant looking Kuroko trailing after him. The blond shoved his hand into his pants' pocket and calls his manager to pick up him up.

.

His breathe came in harsh pants as he sprinted to the hoop, dribbling the ball while running was as easy as breathing to him. He stopped briefly and the form he had copied flashed into his mind. He mimicked said form and was about to shoot the ball in when a body barreled into him and knocked him clean off his feet, the ball smacked out of his hands as he fell.

Sweat drenched his body as he shakily got up only to be knocked down again by a familiar teen—Haizaki Shougo.

"Aww, did Ryota-_kun_ fall down?" Taunted Haizaki, putting a sickeningly sweet emphasis on the suffix. "After all this time, you're still so weak."

Kise shot up at the remark and grabbed a fistful of Haizaki's shirt. "What was that, bastard?!"

Haizaki returned the gesture, cocky sneer stretched across his lips. "I said, 'you are we—"

He never got to finish his sentence as Kise had chosen that moment to lunge at the silver-haired teen. The two fell to the ground, struggling to gain dominance over the other. Other players rushed to pull apart the two who were rolling on the ground. Commands from the third years were heard while the other players urged Kise and Hazaki to cease their fighting.

The yelling died down, becoming eerily quiet and making the two glanced around to see what was wrong. In front of them, smiling not-so-innocently was their captain, Akashi holding up a pair of scissors that were ominously glinting.

"A-Akashicchi..." Stammered Kise, swallowing down forcefully.

Hazaki remained silent as the abnormally loud sound of Akashi scissors cutting nothing in particularly echoed throughout the gym. "Ryota, Shougo, since you have so much energy, run fifteen laps around campus."

Kise made a move to protest but Akashi's gaze stopped him. The blond clicked his tongue and he turned to the exit of the gym, purposely bumping into Hazaki with too much force to be an accident. The silver-haired teen glared at him, his eyes promising revenge as the two jogged out the gym and began their run.

Kise muttered profanities and was in the middle of cursing Hazaki's seventh generation of descendants when he had re-entered the gym. Practice had just ended and several players were already shuffling to the locker rooms. He scanned and rescanned the room for the self-proclaimed shadow. After looking a few times, Kise had finally noticed Kuroko who was carrying a ball and in nearly perfect form to shoot.

"Kurokocchi~i!" Called out Kise, jogging over to Kuroko.

The called boy lowered his arms and glanced at the model. "Kise-kun, you're back from your run already?"

"Mmhm!" Hummed Kise, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "What're you doing? I thought we had to put the equipment away?"

Kuroko answered, "Ah. I wanted to practice shooting again. You can leave if you want."

With that, the shadow turned away and got into form again. The ball flew out of his hands and hit the rim before bouncing off and rolling to the side of the gym. Before Kuroko could walk off to retrieve another ball on the side, Kise had picked up one nearby and thrown it at Kuroko. Kuroko muttered a "Thanks" before trying to shoot again, this time making slight adjustments. The same result appeared.

Kise picked up a ball himself, his mind flashing to the trick he had yet to complete during his match against Hazaki. Thrusting his back-arm forward, he attempted to shoot the orange ball into the hoop. The ball hit the backboard flew in a random direction. The two didn't say a word to each other for a while. It wasn't an awkward silence in the least, more of a tranquil, comfortable quiet. It was very Kuroko-like if Kise could say so himself. While it was easy to talk to the shadow, it was also nice to just enjoy a quiet period without the screaming of his fangirls.

"Kurokocchi, aren't you lonely, practicing by yourself every day?" Asked Kise, turning over.

A subtle twitch caused a slight upturn on Kuroko's lips, almost a smile. A normal person would've have caught but then again, a normal person wouldn't be able copy moves right off the bat. A second after, the almost-smile had disappeared like it hadn't been there in the first place. However, Kise knew for a fact it was there.

"I don't usually practice alone; Aomine-kun usually stays with me." Stated Kuroko.

Kise nodded, "Ah." He pondered what the slight uneasiness settling in the pit of his stomach was.

The two continued to play; only the squeaking of shoes and dribbling of balls were heard. Time flew by for the two, afternoon quickly becoming evening. It was around seven when Kuroko had stopped.

"Kise-kun, it's getting late, we should go home."

Kise attempted the shot again. "Just a little more… go ahead and leave without me Kurokocchi. If I just practice a little more, I think I'll get this trick."

Kuroko stared long and hard at the model who was sweating like a pig, eyebrows furrowed and all. In that moment, the phantom player had seen another Aomine—well not literally, but Kuroko had seen the player who played basketball with a passion.

With another almost-smile tugging at his lips, Kuroko said. "I'll stay with you, only for thirty minutes though. I don't want to come back tomorrow morning to see that you're passed out on the floor."

Kise turned to Kuroko and grinned, teeth and all. "Okay!"

And with that Kuroko picked up another basketball and began shooting again.

.

Kise's job as an amateur model sometimes interfered with his school time schedule. So when he had arrived to Teiko Middle School at lunch hour with a paper bag and a cup holder containing two drinks from Maji Burger, the teachers hadn't questioned him. The blond scanned the classroom for a certain misdirection-player. A powder-blue mop of hair caught his eye after the third scan and he walked over to him.

"Kurokocchi~i!" Sing-songed Kise.

Kuroko looked up from his book to face Kise. The taller teen practically beamed at the attention and he set down a drink onto Kuroko's desk. Kuroko glanced at the drink and back to Kise with the same expression except with one of his eyebrows upturned in what Kise classified as questioning.

"It's a vanilla shake from Maji Burger." Explained Kise. "You like vanilla popsicles right? Since you always buy it from that one store I thought you'd like a vanilla shake for a change."

Kuroko nodded and held the drink in both hands. "Thank you." He said before sipping on the shake and pausing. He set the drink down for a second and stared holes into it.

Kise became frantic. "Kurokocchi? Is it not good?" His mind conjured up the image of Kuroko hating him for bringing him a shake not up to par. "Want me to go get you a new one? Oh god, you hate it don't you?"

His answer was slurping. "It's quite good, Kise-kun."

Glancing at the boy, Kise noticed that an almost smile only known to be on Kuroko's face whenever Aomine was involved had wormed onto his face. However, the almost smile was as fleeting as it was before. Kise smiled fondly as he watched the shadow player slurp on his vanilla shake while reading his book.

That day, Kise had forgotten to eat his lunch.

.

Humming a cheery tune, Kise locked up the third gym and walked towards the fourth gym to lock it up as well before his instructor stopped him. "Kise-kun, I'll lock this up later."

Before Kise asked for the reason, a voice stopped him. "Tetsu, you done?"

Kise turned around and saw his idol, his main inspiration for playing basketball—Aomine Daiki spinning a basketball on the tips of his pointer finger. Kuroko nodded at Aomine and they both move toward the entrance to the fourth gym before Kuroko turned around.

"Please go ahead, Kise-kun. I'll be practicing with Aomine-kun."

He nodded blankly, ignoring the slight twist in his lower belly and changed into his school uniform in the locker room. Securing the straps of his school bag onto his shoulder, he walked towards the fourth gym and took a peek inside. The squeaking of rubber shoes against the polished wood, the swishing of the basket, the deep thumps that echo off the walls when balls are dribble come at him all at once.

Golden orbs looked around the gym and spotted two heads of blue, one considerably darker than the other. Kuroko hits the ball, causing it to accelerate at an alarming speed towards the light player. With difficulty, Aomine caught the accelerating ball.

"What the hell, Tetsu?! That pass hurts like hell." Complained Aomine.

Kuroko said, "That's the point, Aomine-kun. If regular people could catch it, what would be the point of a new pass? Besides, I wouldn't use it if I didn't know if you'd be able to catch it."

Aomine paused for a moment, a grin spreading across his face. "Hmm…yeah I guess I get what you mean."

"Besides, Aomine-kun is as basketball idiot, right?" Deadpanned Kuroko.

The darker teen let out an indignant "Hey!" before he bounded over to Kuroko and put him a headlock to give him a good ol' noogie. Aomine laughed heartily while a small smile—it wasn't just a twitch, his lips had actually curved up to become a tiny but sincere smile—had appeared on Kuroko's face.

Kise should've felt _happy_ to see that smile only known to Aomine and yet because of that, he had felt angry. It was a smile only known to Aomine, a smile only _for_ Aomine. The twisting at the pit of his stomach increased till it had become nearly unbearable for the blond. It had spread like a wildfire across his chest, making him clutch in shirt in a futile attempt to ease the constricting pain. Well, it wasn't pain per say, it was just, well, _unsettling_ to see Kuroko smile so freely around the tanned teen.

Subconsciously, Kise had vowed to defeat Aomine one day just to see _that_ smile for him.

.

A pastel yellow towel hung from his neck, slightly damp as he had used it to wipe off his sweat from practice. Currently, they were having a three minute break; however, it meant that they were going to drilled even harder than usual. To be honest, Kise didn't mind. The more he trained, the better everyone would get and he wouldn't be as bored easily. Or so he had hoped.

Aomine had been improving leaps and bounds lately to a point that his point quota had to be reevaluated and double within the same month. The gap between the light player and their opponents seemed so far although the rest of Teiko's team wasn't far behind. Slowly but steadily, almost everyone on that was a Teiko starter had been improving vast amounts. That is, except for Kuroko.

Sure, Kuroko had been practicing more than anyone, even to a point of damn near obsession but he hadn't seem to have gotten better whether it was stamina-wise, shooting, dribbling, anything really. It was like he had reached his peak before he even got there. Kise pondered on what the difference between the rest of Teiko's starters and Kuroko was because Kuroko had tried harder than anyone he knew (except probably Aomine but he was already good at basketball) but he hadn't improved nearly as much.

Speaking of the light-and-shadow duo, lately Aomine hadn't been coming to practice or had come very rarely. It was almost as if Aomine had lost his passion for basketball.

Kise shook his head; it was probably him overthinking things. Wiping away some sweat, he continued his jog to the vending machine to buy some _Pocari Sweat_. He put in the correct amount of money and pushed a few buttons before the thuds of his drink falling into the slot were heard. He grabbed the bottle and twisted the cap open, drinking some before he heard a voice from the other side of the wall. Peeking over the wall, Kise attempted to eavesdrop.

"Oh, it's you Tetsu." It was Aomine. "What'dya want?"

Kuroko spoke, "Aomine-kun hasn't been coming to practice lately."

"Hah? Oh this again. I thought I'd already told you. Basketball…just isn't fun for me." Said Aomine, scratching the back of his head. "It's not someone like you can understand."

"I—" began Kuroko before stopping himself.

Aomine shrugged, picking up his school bag. "Told you. Later, Tetsu."

Aomine walked past Kuroko, leaving the boy to stand there alone. A sick satisfaction welled up in Kise's chest he saw how coldly Kuroko was brushed off by Aomine.

'_Yes.'_ Whispered a voice in the back of Kise's head, _'Realize that Aomine has changed.'_

"Kise-kun, you can come out now." Kuroko said without looking over his shoulder.

The blond jumped slightly when he realized he was found out. "Ahaha," nervously laughed Kise. "I just wanted to tell Kurokocchi that the break is almost over."

"Ah." Said Kuroko, his voice wavering ever so slightly. "Please go on ahead without me, I'm not feeling well at the moment."

Kise attempted to comfort the boy, "Ahaha, you know Aominecchi~i! He'll bounce back, no problem."

"But… what if he doesn't?" Kuroko usually has a calm mask on and Kise briefly wonders what his face is like now with Aomine involved? Would Kuroko be crying? Would he still be calm? "What if he decides to never play again? If that happens, I don't know what I would do. The thought of Aomine-kun to stop playing basketball makes me want to hate it."

The blond knows that Kuroko isn't really speaking to him. He thinks, knows, that deep down inside what Kuroko wants to "hate" isn't basketball, but the current Aomine. The Aomine who skips practice and doesn't really care for basketball. And it's because of this revelation that the same twisted feeling from before haunts his very soul, chilling his bones to the core. Because the sick side of him revels in Kuroko's emotional turmoil and it makes him want to hurl.

So Kise does what he does best, he puts on his smile even if he's in pain. The amateur model makes a promise that's a lie to Kuroko and himself. And though they both know the promise is empty, they hold onto it oh so desperately.

.

"What do you mean Kurokocchi quit?!" Yelled Kise.

He's about to yell some more before he sees the state Momoi is in. Her usually perfect hair is disheveled and her sclera are slightly pink. Her eyes, usually large and showcasing whatever she's feeling are puffy and swollen, indicating that she had been crying. He notices the slight tremble of her hands as she holds her clipboard. Then he notices it, she is as strong as a sky scraper yet as fragile as a porcelain doll.

Kise shot a pitying look at Momoi before he turned to Akashi who was staring as impassively as ever. Balling his hand into a fist, Kise bolted out of the gym, ignoring the commands for him to stop as he runs around campus.

Cupping his hands around his mouth he repeatedly called out "Kurokocchi! Kurokocchi!" Before his voice goes hoarse and all he can get out is a raspy "Kurok…" and his screams turn into a loud whisper.

'_It se_ems _Kuroko has given up as well.'_ The _fucking_ voice in his head whispers.

It's the haunting feeling again but this time, the pleasure is absent and all he can feel is damn near intolerable pain from his stomach spreading to his chest, He grabbed a fistful of his shirt, it feels like his heart is shattering as he realizes that this was probably how Kuroko had felt when Aomine had brushed him off.

It had finally sunken in that _Kuroko_ who so full of passion and love for basketball had _given up_. It's so sad to see someone who loved a sport so much grow to hate it. Thatvoice in the back of his head mocked him telling that _he_ was in _Kuroko's_ position at the moment. And then Kise realizes something. He isn't crying because Kuroko had given up basketball, well, that was a part of it, but he had realized that Kuroko had truly loved Aomine. And that he, himself, had fallen for Kuroko, someone he could probably never have.

The revelation hits him like rain in summer and Kise just stand there because he has finally realized that the one thing he wants is too far to reach for.

.

It's graduation, a few months since Kise had spoken to Kuroko. Sure they were in the same class but it seems that Kuroko had been avoiding everything related to basketball since the former shadow player had quit. The others save for Momoi hadn't seemed to have noticed. Momoi had chosen to give the misdirection player some space, hoping he would bounce back.

He didn't.

Kise continued to play on the basketball team all the way till graduation where the basketball team parted, all promising to go to separate schools with the exception of Momoi and Aomine.

It is when Kuroko walks off stage and Kise escapes from his fangirls that Kise speaks to him for the first time in a while.

"K-Kurokocchi!" Screamed Kise.

Kuroko turned around, the graduation certificate in hand. "Kise-kun."

"Where have you been, Kurokocchi? Everyone on the basketball team has been so worried! Well, we're not a basketball team anymore but still!" Said Kise.

Kuroko stared, "I handed in my resignation letter months ago."

"But even so—you—to everyone, you're still a part of the team!" Protested Kise. "We need you."

"Kise-kun, the basketball season is over and we're going to high school." Kuroko dead panned.

"Well then at least come to Kaijo with me!" Begged Kise.

Kuroko explained, "I'm already signed up for another school, Kise-kun. Besides, you don't need me."

Kise bolted up, "I do, I really honestly do. When you're not here, I feel like my chest is being crushed…I need you Kurokocchi! And I'll even be your light and you can be my shadow! Together we can play basketball. I…I really want to play with you. Please…!"

And with that Kise broke down, sobs wracking his lean frame as he desperately pleads for Kuroko to play with him once again. It's humiliating for someone of his pride and caliber to beg down and beg but to Kise, Kuroko is _worth it._ Kise crouched down, holding himself as he cries until he feels the gentle patting of a hand on his head.

He glanced up, ah it's Kuroko. A soft smile, not an almost smile that was known to few or a bright somewhat grin known only to Aomine, but a gentle, caring smile that warms Kise to his core.

"Thank you." Said Kuroko, that soft smile still perched on his lips.

Kise stared and he realized that it is the only real smile Kuroko has intentionally shown the blond. And with that, his heart breaks just a little bit more as he embraces the shadow player. Kuroko doesn't hug back nor push him away and that's enough for Kise as Kuroko lets Kise hold him until the tears have run dry.

When Kise had finally let go of Kuroko and the latter had turned and walked away, Kise couldn't help but think that he would never see Kuroko ever again.

.

However, he does see Kuroko again. It's by chance, a play of fate when the two crossed paths in high school.

Kasamatsu, his captain at Kaijo, had been told from their coach that they would be having a practice match with a newly opened school named Seirin. Choosing to be cautious rather than careless, Kaijo's coach had chosen to send some spies to Seirin to scout. Sending Kasamatsu was a given, however Kise had tagged along just for the heck of it.

The two had ended up separated when a few of Kise's fangirls had spotted them. However, Kise's fangirls had found the blond model eventually and he had politely asked where the gym was.

The gaggle of girls had cheerfully showed him, even following him as he walked there. The crowd shot various expressions at him from flirtatious winks to sassy hair flips in hopes of catching his attention. Kise tried to pay no heed because he's a mission and he's pretty damned sure that Kasamatsu would kick him to the moon and back if he didn't get at least a speck of information on their newest opponent.

Kise spies on the team, trying to be discreet as possible (well as discreet as one can be with a mob of fangirls surrounding him), when he notices that the ball seems to change direction on its own.

Wait a minute.

Focusing more on the game, Kise attemptted to see what the heck is going on because he's only seen that style played by one person and it's nearly impossible to use since it had certain _requirements._

As he concentrates more on the game he sees that _indeed, there is some misdirection going on_ and that the player using misdirection was Teiko's sixth man himself, Kuroko Tetsuya. His shock doesn't hit him too bad because it's only a few moments after that that one girl—what was her name again? Aido Rika or something? Whatever—calls him out on the crowd.

It's then that Kise wears that childish façade that was ever present when in the presence of others. "Aaah, damn. I didn't come for this but…"

.

A loud, obnoxious voice boomed. "Ye~ea~h!" Ah, it's that idiot-Kagami.

Kise looked around at his teammates. They're sweaty, tired, and disappointment is clear in their eyes and Kise realizes it. "We…lost?" Brokenly muttered the blond.

'_For the first time…I've lost.'_ Thought Kise.

Something wet trickles down his cheek. And another, and another. He wiped it away with a loose fist but they keep on trickling down, more and more. He can hear the crowd whisper in the background as if he can't hear them. Kasamatsu delivered a harsh kick to his back, knocking him down in the process.

"You idiot! What's with the waterworks?! Wait a minute, the fact that you've never lost till now pisses me off even more. You better add 'revenge' to your dictionary because that's what we're going to be serving next time." Commanded Kasamatsu.

Kise nodded and puts on a cheery smile before excusing himself to the water fountain. There, he washed his face repeatedly, telling himself not to cry because _it was just a practice match._ And yet, another side of him is relieved, joyous even because _he's finally been defeated so why does it hurt so much_.

And then snippets of Kuroko passing to Kagami flash into his mind and _oh._ He realizes that it's not just the game he had lost, he had lost Kuroko to another person. To Kagami, someone who Kuroko had barely met.

And it hurts because he realizes that Kuroko had chosen someone who he hadn't known for long to be his light. His support. Just when he's feeling even more depressed, a voice, clear and deep speaks out to him.

"It said that Gemini was supposed to have bad luck today but I didn't think you'd lose."

Green, neatly combed hair combined with black rimmed glasses. Well, it looks like Kise is seeing old teammates from high school more and more.

.

"I'm kidding." Kise says, spinning the ball on the tip of his finger before he stops it. His expression turns serious for once in a long time. "Besides there's something I've wanted to say for a while. I—"

"Hey you bastard, disappearing even though you're not steady on your feet." Says a voice. Ah, it's Kagami.

Kagami smacks Kuroko upside the head, making the pale teen wobble slightly. Kise and Kagami start bantering back and forth and Kise can't help but realize that this feels eerily familiar. Like an old memory being relived, déjà vu if one could call it that. It hits him hard.

Kagami, a basketball idiot who plays with everything on the line. Kagami, who plays with a passion only rivaled by one person, or the old version of the one person. Kagami, who can keep on evolving, changing, improving. It's almost like another version of the old—

"Shit, there's already some trash here!"

The thugs walked into the court, practically attempting to bully the others to get off. They had decided on playing a basketball however, the thugs just wouldn't give up, choosing to cheat. Of course, Kuroko, being the gentleman he is, steps into the fight. In the end, Kise and Kagami teamed up to show the thugs just how unfair they were and Kuroko got scolded.

Kuroko and Kagami banter back and forth just like how Kuroko and _he _did in middle school. The blond can't help but reminisce and see that there is not wedge for him to push through. The two make a move to leave, saying their goodbyes but before Kuroko can leave again, Kise grabs his hand.

"Kurokocchi…Can I talk to you in private? Just for a moment." Says Kise.

It's urgent, Kuroko can tell. So Kuroko allows the blond to lead him to a slightly more quiet area before Kise blurts it out. "I like you. I've liked you since middle school and I want you to come to Kaijo with me."

Kuroko has always had a poker face but if you look closely, his emotions are shown through his eyes. The shadow player smiles gently just like that time during graduation. "Thank you, Kise-kun. Goodbye." And Kuroko leaves.

And that's all he has to say before Kise knows his answer. It's heartbreakingly bittersweet, a closure between the two of them, just like his defeat in the game. But it's also very kind. And so Kise turns around and wears a wide grin and yells,

"Kurokocchi! I promise, I'll make you like me! You can count on it!"

Kuroko doesn't answer, he simply turns and Kise understands just like that. The amateur model grabs his bag and starts walking to his house. Kuroko always said to play with everything on the line or nothing at all. Well, Kise has decided to put everything on the line for Kuroko.

Because to Kise, Kuroko is worth it, every single bit of it.

.

**notes** this is the longest thing I've written all at once in over a year. ; u; Comments, tips, reviews, etc are appreciated.


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